


Hold Me At Gunpoint

by Suzie_Shooter



Category: Alex Rider (TV 2020), Alex Rider - Anthony Horowitz
Genre: 69 (Sex Position), Accidents, Alex/OMC, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Hurt/Comfort, Inspired by Hallmark Christmas Movies, Kissing, M/M, Mild Peril, Oral Sex, Rescue, Romance, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:55:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26360770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Suzie_Shooter/pseuds/Suzie_Shooter
Summary: Alex takes a holiday with his boring boyfriend in a last ditch attempt to save their failing relationship. This is not helped by running into Yassen Gregorovich and realising which of them he would much rather be screwing. When Alex has an accident and Yassen comes to his rescue things inevitably escalate, but Yassen is there for reasons of his own and a skiing accident might not be the most danger Alex will find himself in this holiday...
Relationships: Yassen Gregorovich/Alex Rider
Comments: 25
Kudos: 123





	Hold Me At Gunpoint

**Author's Note:**

> Set in the same location as the short story Christmas At Gunpoint some years later, but no real spoilers.

Alex had known this was holiday was doomed from the moment they arrived. 

It was his own fault, he shouldn’t have let his boyfriend insist on making it a surprise, but that was what normal couples did, wasn’t it? Trusted each other? Had fun holidays together? 

Like he could ever have a normal life. How could he even begin to explain to Scott that this ski resort was where he’d taken the last ever holiday with his uncle before he’d been murdered? Where he’d come so close to stumbling over the world that Ian had really operated in? That they were staying in literally the same fucking hotel?

Alex had concluded a long time ago that fate clearly had it in for him. This was just further proof.

Although – it wasn’t the location that was the problem if he was honest. He’d tried, he really had, but this relationship – like all the ones before it – really wasn’t working out. They hadn’t discussed it, but both of them knew this holiday was a last ditch effort to rescue things.

Alex stared through the window at the lightly falling snow and conceded he’d mentally already checked out. He’d plaster on a smile for the next week, but when they got home he’d pack his things. It wasn’t Scott’s fault. He was everything Alex had thought he wanted. Perfectly nice, reasonably attractive, reasonably intelligent.

Normal, in other words. Boring.

Alex sighed. He’d worked hard to extricate himself from the world of espionage and terrorism but he had to admit he occasionally missed the excitement. Maybe a skiing holiday was what he needed. He could chuck himself down a few black runs and see if the adrenaline reminded him he was still alive, rather than suffocating slowly in tedium.

“Coming down for a drink?” 

Alex stifled another sigh as he realised Scott still had hopes for them. “Yeah, why not.” Maybe if he got drunk enough he could even summon the enthusiasm to get it up later when Scott inevitably wanted holiday sex.

Down in the bar his spirits rose a little. There was an enormous log fire roaring in a grate that had been constructed to look like something out of an old baronial hall, and the buzz of conversation was cheerful and welcoming. Alex bought them both a beer and turned to survey the room, out of habit more than interest. In his immediate field of vision was a pair of girls clearly heading their way.

Alex’s initial instinct was to put his arm around Scott to avoid the need for any awkward explanations, but then he realised that would only encourage him, and also if they had company the conversation might actually be less stilted than spending the evening alone with him.

The girls came over and introduced themselves. Scott was clearly annoyed at first, but Alex welcomed them so enthusiastically he could hardly say anything. They introduced themselves as Katya and Claire, and had arrived the day before.

“We’ve been getting our bearings so far really. Sussing out the best classes and stuff. We can let you know, if you want?”

“Thanks, but I don’t need lessons,” Alex said. 

“Oh neither do we, but have you seen the instructor?” Claire giggled. “I’ll happily pay through the nose to have _him_ correcting my stance, and it’ll be money well spent.” 

Alex smiled faintly, realising from the conspiratorial tone she had actually clocked himself and Scott as a couple after all. 

Katya grabbed her friend’s wrist. “Oh my god, don’t look now, he just walked in.” 

Everyone, obviously, immediately looked towards the door. 

Alex almost dropped the bottle of beer he was holding. It was as if the whole noisy room had fallen silent and was empty of everyone but him and the man who’d just entered the room. A man he hadn’t seen for several long years, and who had spent them, to the best of Alex’s knowledge, being very dead indeed. 

Yassen Gregorovich. 

“Alex?” Scott put a possessive hand on his arm, and it was as if sound and motion had been abruptly switched back on again. Alex jumped and looked round.

“What?”

“You were staring,” Katya giggled. “Although I don’t blame you.”

“No, he – just reminded me of someone I used to know, that’s all,” Alex muttered, hoping the hot flush he could feel on his cheeks would only be taken as due to heat from the fire. 

He sneaked another look, feeling certain that just the weight of his gaze must draw Yassen’s attention, but he was on the other side of the room, talking to a group of instructors. 

It was definitely him. Alex had wondered briefly if he’d been mistaken, but now he realised he’d have known him anywhere. The way he moved, the light but powerful frame, the lines of his face. Alex realised he was staring again and looked away, swallowing hard.

What the hell was Yassen even doing here? Alex didn’t believe for a minute that he really was working as a ski instructor, although it didn’t surprise him that he was good enough to do so. In retrospect it didn’t come as much of a surprise that he was still alive, either. In a way it felt almost inevitable. 

When Alex had said he’d thought he’d recognised someone he used to know, he hadn’t been lying. He’d meant himself. In that second of recognition it was as if a past version of himself had been rebooted and suddenly he was on high alert, heart pounding, feeling the adrenaline spike with nowhere for it to go. 

The conversation had moved onto the snow conditions and best runs, but he’d stopped listening. He needed to know what Yassen was doing here, needed to know who was in danger. It was none of his business, but the last time he’d thought that and done nothing, people had died. 

He had to get closer.

–

Alex’s plans were frustrated by being dragged off to dinner. Afterwards he couldn’t remember what he’d eaten, he certainly hadn’t tasted any of it. Claiming he wanted another drink he marched back into the bar afterwards, but Yassen and the group he’d been with had gone. 

Was it possible he was here innocently, Alex wondered? The thought crossed his mind that he could just sign up for one of Yassen’s classes. Then he tried to imagine the man’s expression upon seeing him, and couldn’t. Would he be surprised? Angry? _Pleased?_

Alex had never been able to forget the things Yassen had said when they’d last met, but he had to concede the man had been on the verge of delirium. It was entirely possible he had no memory of having said them at all. 

It was far more likely that if Yassen saw him here, he would take steps to remove Alex as a threat to whatever plans he had in play. He could just drop him into a crevasse somewhere up there in the mountains, and his body wouldn’t be found until spring.

Alex shivered, despite the warmth of the room. 

“What is wrong with you?” The accusing voice behind him made him sigh.

_I wish I knew._

“What do you mean?”

Scott glared at him frustratedly. “You barely said a word over dinner. Do you know how much this place is costing? You could at least pretend to enjoy it.”

_All I do these days is pretend._

“I’m sorry.” Alex forced a smile. “I think I just need some air. Why don’t you go on up, I won’t be long.”

He retrieved his outdoor coat from the boot room and stepped outside. It had been an excuse, but the cold, crisp air did make him feel better. The snow had stopped falling, and everything looked softly luminous in the dark. 

Alex crunched away from the lodge, heading into the darker shadows away from the path and the string of lights. Fragments of memory – his uncle, a man with a gun – had it been here? The buildings had changed in their configuration and he wasn’t sure. 

He walked on, the shadow of the mountain a looming presence over the cluster of cabins. People were still coming and going, there were private lodges here too as well as the main hotel complex. 

Alex turned another corner into a passage between two buildings, not really paying attention to where he was going just enjoying the scrunch of the snow underfoot and the cool breeze on his face. It was quieter here. Darker, too. Alex realised he was now quite alone. 

Or was he? A prickling feeling on the back of his neck suddenly insisted he was being watched and he swung round, but there was nobody there.

“Hello Alex.”

He swung round again, feeling stupid. Standing in front of him on the path where he definitely hadn’t been a moment ago, was Yassen. 

“You.” Alex tried to catch his breath, suddenly having difficulty getting it into his lungs. 

“Me.” Yassen half-smiled, watching him with amusement. He looked just as he had inside, black polo neck, expensive woollen coat and very well fitting ski trousers. Alex wasn’t sure why he’d taken quite such notice, but then, he’d trained to be observant, hadn’t he?

He realised Yassen was waiting for him to say something. He also realised Yassen didn’t seem especially surprised to see him.

“You saw me,” Alex said slowly. “Inside?”

“Yes.” Yassen’s smile slowly gained more purchase on his face. “Who’s your friend?”

Alex flushed, and hoped it was too dark for Yassen to notice. “Scott? He’s – he’s just my – ” 

_My soon to be ex-boyfriend._

“Partner?” Yassen supplied, when it appeared Alex was having trouble forming a sentence. 

“Yes.” Alex felt his blush deepening at the idea Yassen had maybe thought he’d been too embarrassed to admit he was gay. 

Yassen gave a non-committal nod. “He looks – steady.”

_Jesus even Yassen thinks my boyfriend is dull._

“Yeah.” Alex shifted uncomfortably. “What are you doing here?” 

“Nothing that needs to concern you.” Yassen looked thoughtful. “Assuming you’re not here to concern yourself with it in the first place?”

“No!” Alex shook his head hurriedly, unsure that Yassen would believe him, but he just nodded.

“I thought you looked too surprised to see me for it to have been anything other than a coincidence.”

Alex winced. So much for his super spy skills. He’d stood there and gawked openly at Yassen across the room, while Yassen had of course clocked him back without so much as a double blink to give himself away.

“So what happens now?” Alex asked.

Yassen raised an eyebrow. “Go back to your holiday. Enjoy yourself. My presence here doesn’t need to concern you.” He paused. “I’m not here to hurt anyone, if that makes you feel any better.”

“Why are you here?”

“Would you believe I’ve taken up a new career as a ski instructor?”

“No.”

Yassen’s smile was back. “Your choice.” He turned to walk away, and Alex felt an odd jolt of disappointment. 

“Wait!”

He was almost surprised when Yassen turned back, waiting patiently for whatever it was he wanted to say.

What _had_ he been going to say? 

_Where have you been all this time? Why did you never come and find me? I’m about to split up with my boyfriend._

“I’m glad you’re not dead.” 

For the first time Yassen looked surprised, his lips parting slightly, then closing again in a softer smile than before. 

“Thank you.” 

“Don’t kill anyone.”

“I’ll try not to.”

“Night then.”

Yassen gave him a slight nod. He was looking amused again, but this time it just made Alex feel warm inside.

“Goodnight Alex.” He turned and walked away, quickly melting into the shadows. 

Alex made his way slowly back to the hotel, lost in thought. He wasn’t sure how he felt. His heart was still racing, which was understandable, Yassen was a dangerous man to encounter. But he hadn’t felt afraid, he realised. He’d felt glad. Glad that Yassen was alive, glad that he was free, glad that he’d seen him again. One of the lingering traumas from his teenage years had eased slightly. 

Back in the hotel room Scott was already in bed and halfway through a bottle of wine. Alex took off his clothes and joined him. He’d been dreading this all evening but now somehow he was keyed up and edgy with nervous tension, and sex was one way of working it off.

But as he lay down and Scott climbed clumsily and enthusiastically on top of him, Alex’s mind drifted treacherously back to the sight of Yassen in those form-fitting ski pants and found himself wondering what it would be like with him. Yassen wouldn’t be panting house Shiraz in his face, or thrusting with all the force of a limp lettuce. 

Alex closed his eyes and wrapped a hand around himself, and as Scott stuttered to an inevitably disappointing completion Alex found his own release picturing somebody else entirely.

Afterwards Scott looked gratified that he’d made Alex come so easily for once. Alex gave him a weak smile, but he couldn’t find it in himself to feel guilty. He wondered where Yassen was now, what he was doing. 

His last thought as he fell asleep was to wonder if Yassen was thinking of him.

–

The following day out on the slopes Alex couldn’t help his eyes tracking across the various groups, searching for Yassen. His preoccupied mood did not go unnoticed however, and Scott’s building irritation was not soothed when Alex announced in the afternoon he wanted to go and ski a harder run than Scott could comfortably manage.

“Some couple’s holiday this is going to be, if you just go off and do your own thing!”

“I’m not going to spend all week up there, I just want to have a crack at one while the conditions are this perfect!”

“You mean you just want to show off?”

“As opposed to holding your hand on the nursery slopes?”

“Fuck you Alex!” 

They were shouting at each other now and Alex knew people were staring, but he didn’t care. He stormed off towards the ski lift, face burning all the more because he knew he was in the wrong. 

Scott was right, this should have been about spending time together, and he wasn’t nearly as bad a skier as Alex had just made out. Alex just didn’t know if he could stick a whole week of this. 

He rode the lift to the very top and considered his options. There was the run he’d been intending to take, or a steeper route marked with a double black diamond. Without letting himself think about it for too long or even take a moment to appreciate the view, he’d pushed off down the harder run.

He was angry, far more with himself than with Scott, but the rush of the wind and swish of the snow forced it all out of his mind. Losing concentration here could mean anything from a broken leg to going home in a hearse, and he felt the adrenaline pumping through him as he accelerated faster and faster.

There was a reason they called it breakneck speed, he thought, slamming through a stand of trees. Branches stung his face and were gone, already far behind. 

He entered a run between stands of rock, slaloming between the outcrops, knowing that hitting one at this speed would knock him out.

For the first time in months, he felt alive. Moving purely on instinct and muscle-memory, shifting his weight from side to side, only kept from falling by the sheer speed he was going. It was exhilarating, and he could feel himself getting hard. 

If only it wasn’t Scott waiting for him at the bottom. The thought occurred to Alex that he was accelerating into another argument, and it was enough to throw him off balance. One moment he was hurtling down the slope, then one ski dug in just a little too much, his leg twisted under him and suddenly the world turned upside down.

Sky, trees, snow, all cartwheeled across Alex's vision as he was thrown off his feet. He felt his skis come off and then he was falling off the edge of the ridge and down the escarpment, unable to stop. 

Projecting rocks hit him painfully in the back as he rolled, and his goggles had been torn off. There was snow in his eyes, in his mouth, up his nose. The world was a blur, he was out of control, and then – he shot out into space.

Unable to see, Alex had a moment of pure, stomach sinking terror as he realised he had no idea how far the drop was beneath him. For all he knew he could have fallen off the edge of the mountain. 

He just had time to picture his broken body smashing through the roof of the hotel to land on the bed in front of Scott when the ground came up to meet him and everything went black.

–

Alex opened his eyes with a groan. His whole body felt like he'd been mashed by a steamroller, but initial experimentation seemed to confirm that he wasn't actually dead. He wondered where his skis were. Probably about a mile away, straight up. 

He tried to climb to his feet, and that was when it all went pear-shaped a second time. There was a stabbing pain in his right ankle when he tried to put weight on it and he collapsed back into the snow with a howl of agony. 

He lay there, breathing heavily, trying to master the pain. This was not good. Without his skis it was a long walk back to civilisation, and if he couldn't even actually walk – shit.

Alex realised not only did he not have a phone on him, nobody knew where he was. As far as Scott knew, he was on a different run entirely, on a different part of the mountain. Alex looked nervously at the position of the sun. He wasn't sure how long he'd been unconscious but it was starting to get dark. If he lay out here all night, he'd freeze to death. There were already clouds building in the east that looked like they promised more snow. 

He tried again to get to his feet but it was no good. His ankle just wouldn't bear his weight and there was nothing in sight he could use as a walking stick or a sledge. He also realised he wasn't sure which way to go even if he could walk. He was lying in a sort of gully between rock walls and neither direction was particularly suggestive of up or down. 

Alex fought down the urge to cry. Giving up wouldn't get him anywhere, but his ankle hurt and so did the rest of him. Maybe this was his punishment, he thought dismally. Maybe he deserved this. If he'd been a better boyfriend and stayed with Scott, he wouldn't be lying here right now.

The thought was enough to drag him to his feet a third time but he managed no more than a couple of steps before crumpling back into the snow. He choked back a sob, although it was mostly from the pain. It wasn't fair. 

It was getting dark more quickly than he'd anticipated too, although perhaps it was the effect of being at the bottom of a cliff. Alex shivered. When he'd come round and found himself mostly unscathed he'd been relieved, but now he was starting to realise he might be just as dead as if he'd fallen off the cliff he'd been imagining. 

He tried yelling, but his voice was swallowed by the muffling snow and all it accomplished was to make him feel smaller than ever. It also belatedly occurred to him that he might risk bringing an avalanche down on him and he shuddered.

Maybe someone would find him, he thought. Scott would get worried eventually. Search parties would be sent out. People would be looking. 

Just – not in the right place, his brain reminded him helpfully. It was a big mountain.

Alex curled into a miserable ball in the shelter of the cliff, and tried to keep himself warm.

–

He wasn't sure how long he'd lain there. The twilight had deepened, although the last rays of the sun were still illuminating the mountaintop above him. Alex had slipped into an uncomfortable doze, but something had woken him and he wasn't sure what. 

"Alex?"

The call came from quite close by and he sat up sharply, wincing in pain.

"Here!" 

Down the gully came a figure, appearing almost silently out of the dusk. They came to a perfect stop in front of him and stepped out of their skis, but it was only when they pulled off the ski mask that Alex realised with a jolt who it was.

"Yassen?"

"Good evening Alex." Yassen crouched down in front of him with a sardonic smile on his lips and Alex could have cried again, this time with relief. 

"And what have you been up to, hmmn?" Yassen enquired, as if they were passing the time of day in the hotel lobby and not alone together halfway up a mountain.

"I fell."

"No shit. What have you done?"

"My ankle. I think it might be broken." 

"It won't take weight?"

Alex shook his head, afraid that if he said too much he might actually start crying and if he did that in front of Yassen he might die of shame never mind the cold.

Yassen tilted Alex's chin up to study his face, and frowned. 

"Here. Get some of this down you. It will warm you up a little." He sat down in the snow next to Alex and unscrewed the top of a hipflask, passing it across.

Alex took a sip. It was warming, and burned all the way down. He licked his lips. 

"What is it?"

"Calvados." Alex took another swig, and Yassen laughed. "I take it you like it?"

Alex looked at him, feeling a warmth that had nothing to do with the liquor. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you."

"How did you know I needed finding?"

"That boyfriend of yours. He's been insisting you'd gone missing, but it hadn't been all that long and nobody was taking much notice."

"Apart from you."

Yassen looked sideways at him. "I know you. I figured if there was the slightest possibility you were in trouble, you almost certainly would be." 

"How did you know where to look?" Alex felt like his brain was frozen along with the rest of him and there was something he was missing, but miracle or not Yassen was here and he wasn't going to argue.

"I just asked myself what you'd do if you were in a bad mood, and the answer that suggested itself was throw yourself into the most dangerous thing it was possible to do round here." Yassen gave him a smile that was almost sympathetic. "You shouldn't take on a black run if you can't concentrate."

"How did you know I was in a bad mood?" Alex asked. 

"I saw your little spat on the slopes earlier."

"You were watching me?"

"I think everyone within half a mile of the hotel heard it," Yassen clarified, and Alex winced. He took another mouthful of apple brandy and somehow found himself leaning against Yassen's shoulder. Now the tension of the last few hours had gone he felt utterly exhausted.

Yassen was looking thoughtful. "We need to get you out of here. Can you stand?" 

"No. Sorry. Not on my own." 

"You're not skiing back then." Yassen sighed. "Have I ever told you you have a talent for screwing up my plans?"

"What plans?"

"Doesn't matter. Well, we can't sit here all night. You done with the flask, or do you want to keep it?"

Alex handed it back sheepishly, but Yassen was smiling at him, and on impulse Alex leaned across and kissed him on the lips.

He pulled back immediately, shocked at himself and conscious that Yassen was staring.

"What was that for?" Yassen asked softly.

"I thought I was going to die." 

Yassen looked like he didn't know what to say and Alex was on the brink of apologising, but then Yassen abruptly got to his feet and picked Alex up on the way. 

Alex suddenly found himself being carried down the gully in a pair of strong arms. After a moment’s startled surprise he decided there wasn't anything he could do apart from go along with it, so he locked his arms around Yassen's neck, rested his head on his shoulder, and let Yassen carry him through the gathering dark.

–

After about a quarter of an hour Alex was surprised to see the roof of a cabin emerge from the gloom. 

Yassen carried him right to the door, unlocked it without putting him down, then carried him inside and laid him on the couch.

It was warm inside, and smelt sweetly of stripped pine wood. Yassen closed the blinds and put the lights on, recessed lamps around the edge of the room that made it immediately cosy. 

He pulled off his ski jacket and crouched down, looking to Alex for permission before touching his foot, carefully removing his boot and sock.

Alex bit his lip, trying not to make a sound as Yassen examined him with deft fingers.

“I don’t think it’s broken. Just a bad sprain. Can you move your toes?”

Alex wiggled them obligingly, and Yassen smiled. “I think you’ll be okay. Keep your weight off it for a while. I’ll strap it up for you.” 

Alex just nodded passively and Yassen looked at him with concern, eventually judging that Alex was simply cold, hungry and in pain. 

“Why don’t you have a shower?” Yassen suggested. “It will be the quickest way to get warm. And I’ll find you some dry clothes.”

He helped Alex into what proved to be a large wetroom and left him alone, promising to leave a set of clean clothes on the stool by the door. 

When Alex hopped out again he found Yassen had lit the fire that had been laid ready in the grate, and there was an appetising smell coming from the kitchen.

He sank back down onto the couch with a sigh and lifted his foot up gingerly. He was warm, and safe, and presumably about to be fed, and life was looking a lot more rosy than it had an hour ago.

Yassen came in with a tray and set it down on a table beside him. There was a bowl of fragrant smelling stew and a thick slice of bread and butter, plus a strip of what appeared to be industrial strength painkillers and a glass of water. 

While Alex ate, Yassen fetched bandages and strapped his ankle up securely. 

“How’s that?”

“Feels a lot better. Thank you.”

“While you finish that I’ll go and fetch my skis,” Yassen said. “I’ll need them in the morning to go back down to Gunpoint and pick up the car, there’s no way you’re getting down the mountain under your own steam. Sit tight, I won’t be long.”

Alex felt guilty, because Yassen had had to take them off to carry him and couldn’t carry them at the same time, but he was also glad he didn’t have to go out there again. He finished his meal and settled back drowsily. Yassen had poured him a glass of the calvados and he sipped it slowly, watching the flames crackle in the grate.

From what he could tell of the cabin’s layout there was only one bedroom which raised interesting possibilities. Alex refilled his glass thoughtfully. Yassen might have looked startled by his impulsive kiss earlier but he certainly hadn’t really objected. 

The drink was going to his head and when Yassen came back Alex had to look away to hide the blush creeping up his face, as if Yassen might read his thoughts there.

Yassen disappeared into the bedroom to change, then poured himself a drink and came over to the couch. Alex shifted his foot onto the low table so Yassen could sit down next to him.

“How’s the ankle?” Yassen enquired. 

“Pretty good.” Alex yawned. “You make a good nurse.”

Yassen just smiled, and touched his glass lightly to Alex’s in a silent toast. 

Alex settled back, his shoulder brushing Yassen’s. It was pitch dark outside, the snow was coming down again, he was well fed, the fire was warming his outside, the brandy was warming his inside, and the painkillers had kicked in some time ago. Alex couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this relaxed and happy. 

He looked round at Yassen, and discovered he was being watched in turn.

“How did you find me?” Alex asked sleepily.

“I told you.”

“I know what you told me. But I wasn’t anywhere near the actual route. I’d fallen miles.”

Yassen smiled slightly. “Not quite that far.” He looked down into his glass, seemingly weighing his next words. “Like I said, you have a talent for interfering with my plans, whether you mean to or not. I decided it might be advantageous if I knew where you were at all times.”

“You planted a tracker on me?” Alex sat up in shock.

“Last night,” Yassen admitted. “In your boot. They were in the locker room, and very conveniently labelled.”

“You – ” Alex didn’t know what to say. If Yassen hadn’t done what he did, Alex would still be lying out there in the dark. And he hadn’t had to come and look for him. 

Yassen was watching him. “Aren’t you going to shout at me?”

Alex shrugged. “Can’t really, can I?”

Yassen’s expression softened. “You really did think you were going to die out there.”

“Stupid way to go, huh? After everything else I’ve survived?”

“You’re safe now.” Yassen’s voice was soft, and he was so close, and Alex couldn’t stop himself. He closed the gap between them, and kissed him on the mouth.

This time he didn’t pull away, and after a second Yassen kissed back. It was warm, and slow, and everything Alex had wanted it to be.

When they finally broke apart, Alex had a stupid smile on his face, and immediately leaned in for another kiss. Yassen though, held him back with a hand on his shoulder. 

“Alex. Are you sure about this?”

“Aren’t you?” Alex looked at him a little mournfully.

“Yes. But you have a boyfriend waiting at the bottom of this mountain, and you are quite drunk right now.” Yassen’s voice was gentle, as was the touch of his hand stroking through Alex’s hair.

“All the things you’ve done, and this is what you develop a conscience over?” Alex protested.

Yassen smiled. “I will do whatever you want. I just don’t want you to feel bad about it in the morning.”

Alex shook his head. “It’s over. Me and Scott, I mean. It’s been over for a long time.”

“Does he know that?”

“If he sat down and thought about it for a hot minute.” Alex sighed. “You’re right though. I’ll tell him. Tomorrow.”

Yassen’s thumb brushed lightly across Alex’s lower lip. “And tonight?” 

Alex swallowed. “Kiss me?” he breathed.

Yassen obliged. It was warm, and deep and passionate, and Alex felt dizzy. He curled a hand round the back of Yassen’s neck, holding him close. 

This was crazy in a way, quite apart from all the other complications they barely knew each other, but to Alex it felt like every second since he’d seen Yassen in the bar the day before had been leading inevitably to this moment.

Yassen’s lips were firm against his, his tongue hot in Alex’s mouth and Alex was hard as hell.

"Oh God." Alex let his head fall back, felt Yassen kissing down his throat, his hands slipping under the hem of Alex's t-shirt. 

Yassen's t-shirt, technically, and the thought that Alex was wearing the other man's clothes right down to the boxer shorts was somehow another level of arousal.

Yassen's hands were exploring now, taking Alex's groan of approval as tacit permission to continue. His palms skated up Alex's back, and suddenly Alex found himself being carefully lowered down to lie on the couch. 

"Alright?" Yassen whispered, covering him with his body but not - yet - resting any weight on him.

In answer Alex reached up and pushed his own hands under the thin sweater Yassen was wearing, not to touch him but in an attempt to take it off.

Once Yassen realised what he was doing he laughed and sat back to peel it off. This effectively left him sitting astride Alex's thighs, and the proximity to his crotch was both maddeningly arousing and maddeningly just too far away.

Alex wondered what the hell he thought he was doing. He'd never fallen into bed with someone this quickly. It wasn't as if tonight even counted as a date. And he had no idea what Yassen wanted out of this, was he only thinking in terms of a one night stand?

That made Alex stop and think. Was he himself thinking of more than a one night stand? Yassen was a contract killer, he was hardly boyfriend material. Was he? 

Alex lay there and looked up at him, bare chested in the firelight, and thought - fuck. He couldn't remember ever wanting someone this badly before. 

"Alex?" Yassen was watching him just as intently, watching the shadow of thoughts play across his face. "We don't have to do this, if you'd rather not. Are we going too fast?"

In answer, Alex lifted his own shirt off over his head and dropped it on the floor. Held out his arms.

Yassen lowered himself into them with a slight laugh. "I'm assuming you'll tell me if you want me to stop?" he murmured. 

"I don't ever want you to stop." The words came out sounding rather more weighty than Alex had intended, but Yassen just smiled, and kissed him.

Chest to bare chest it felt more amazing than ever, and Alex wrapped his arms around Yassen's neck and pressed up against him insistently. To his heartfelt relief Yassen took the hint and finally let his whole body weight come to rest on him.

Alex hummed his approval, a quiet moan turning into a sharp intake of breath as Yassen pushed down, a slow roll of the hips that made Alex see stars.

"Fuck. Yassen. Yes." 

Yassen did it again, and again, half teasing, all calculated, and Alex clutched at him, pressing breathless kisses to his mouth and letting his hands roam greedily over the planes of Yassen's back.

"You want to take the rest off?" Yassen offered, lips moving against the wildly beating pulse in Alex's neck.

"Uh huh." Alex didn't want to lose the contact for a second, but the thought of seeing Yassen naked - of being naked with him - was too good to pass up.

Yassen sat up again and drew down the waistband of Alex's trousers. He was wearing a pair of soft grey sweatpants, and Yassen pulled them down, standing up briefly to work them carefully over the bandages swathing Alex’s ankle. 

Alex felt briefly self-conscious lying there in nothing but a pair of incriminatingly tented boxer shorts, but the way Yassen was looking at him made him feel better about it. The look in his eye was something akin to a starving man faced with a three course meal.

Yassen unfastened his own trousers and stepped out of them. Alex realised he'd been wearing nothing underneath and wondered if that was usual for him, or if Alex hadn't been the only one hoping for this outcome.

Yassen was as hard as he was, and Alex couldn't take his eyes off his erection. He wanted to take it into his hand, into his mouth, feel it inside him. He shoved his own boxer shorts down and Yassen helped them disappear in short order.

The couch wasn't the most convenient place for these kind of antics, and rather than lying down again Yassen slid his arms around Alex and lifted him up. Alex assumed at first he was heading for the bedroom, but instead Yassen lay him down on the thick sheepskin rug in front of the log fire, and settled down next to him.

Alex grinned, suddenly amused, and Yassen conceded a smile. 

"I've always wanted to do this," he murmured. "I don't care if it's a cliche."

Alex reached out and pulled Yassen on top of him. It occurred to him that in his own way Yassen was telling him that he didn't make a habit of this kind of behaviour, and he appreciated it. This felt special to him, and it was comforting to know that maybe it did to Yassen too.

The fire was warm on their bodies, and the rug deep and soft. They spent a long while kissing and stroking and holding each other, and Alex, who had half-expected Yassen to simply fuck him right away and wouldn't have protested in the slightest, felt himself falling hard and fast. 

He didn't care if it was complicated and he didn't care if it was weird given their history, Alex knew then that he wanted this to be more than a single night of passion. 

His musing on what Yassen might want out of it was cut short when Yassen kissed his way down Alex's stomach and with no more warning than the direction in which he'd been headed, took Alex's cock into his mouth.

Coherent thought dissolved. Alex groaned, wordless and needy as Yassen sucked down on him, glancing up the length of Alex's body with a wicked look that nearly had Alex coming there and then.

For the sake of his own pride if nothing else he managed not to, and lay back to enjoy the next few minutes of utter bliss until it occurred to him he could be helping Yassen out at the same time.

"Hey." He propped himself up on his elbows and looked down at Yassen, who let Alex's cock slide lewdly out of his mouth while maintaining eye contact. Alex felt a bubble of laughter rising inside him. God but he was smitten.

"Come here." Alex beckoned with a finger and Yassen looked a question at him but did as he was asked, his enquiring frown deepening as Alex promptly crawled in the other direction.

Alex lay on his side, stroking Yassen's thigh with his free hand and pushing him into a position where he could take Yassen into his mouth.

Yassen caught on, and his low laugh as he curled in to slide his mouth back over the head of Alex's cock made Alex smile and then moan his approval around him as he felt Yassen begin to suckle on him once more. 

It perhaps wasn’t the most elegant of sights, but they were roughly the same height which made it easier. Alex had one of Yassen’s legs hooked over his shoulder, his arm curled around Yassen’s thigh to support him in place, and Yassen’s face between his legs. 

Occasionally their precarious balance would threaten to collapse, or Alex would forget and try and brace himself on his injured ankle, all of which meant the mutual cocksucking was interspersed with snorts of laughter, yelps of pain and murmurs of concern. It did mean that it became less intense and more fun, and Alex felt like he’d never enjoyed himself quite so much in his life.

He liked doing this, and the opportunity to do it to Yassen was a heady thrill. To be able to do it while Yassen was sucking him off in turn was something Alex had never even imagined, and it also meant he wasn’t going to last much longer.

Alex drew his head back briefly, catching his breath and nuzzling a kiss into Yassen’s inner thigh. 

“I’m close,” he warned quietly, and Yassen drew back too and gave him a look of amusement.

“You can if I can,” he replied, answering the question that Alex hadn’t quite asked.

Alex grinned. “Deal.”

They both reapplied themselves to the matter at hand, and this time Alex let himself give in to the aching need to come. He spilled into Yassen’s mouth, feeling him swallow around him, tongue lapping up the stray drops and Alex felt like his whole body was vibrating with pleasure. 

When he could see straight again Alex set about bringing Yassen to his own climax, able to sprawl over him now. Yassen stretched out on the rug, enjoying the sight of Alex bent over him as much as anything. The Alex was taking such unashamed pleasure in pleasuring _him_ was a turn on in itself and Yassen wasn’t long in following suit.

Alex felt Yassen’s cock pulse in his mouth, once, twice, three times, filling his mouth to overflowing.

He sat up, hand over his mouth, swallowing and spluttering and trying not to choke. Yassen sat up as well, rubbing his back lightly and laughing.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah.” Alex wiped his mouth and coughed. “Sorry. That was – ” 

He never got to finish the apology because Yassen had kissed him, licking the final traces from Alex’s tongue and Alex leaned gratefully into his embrace. 

Yassen pulled a rug from a nearby chair and draped it over them both while they leaned back against the couch and snuggled into each other, watching the fire burn down.

Alex sighed. It sounded melancholy, and Yassen kissed his hair. 

“What’s wrong?” Yassen stroked a hand over Alex’s lower stomach under the rug, making things curl warmly inside him all over again.

“Just thinking about Scott,” Alex admitted. 

Yassen withdrew his hand. “Alex, I did say – ” 

“No – not like that. I just mean – he’ll be really worried by now about what’s happened to me.”

Yassen shook his head. “It’s fine. I called the hotel while you were in the shower. I let them know you’d had an accident but you were safe, and staying up on the mountain. Sorry, I meant to say.”

Alex blinked. It was a relief, but - “You had a phone on you the whole time?”

“Yes. Of course.”

“So – you could have called for help. You didn’t actually have to carry me all the way here?”

“Technically, no.”

Alex smiled. “You wanted me stuck here with you tonight,” he accused. 

“Possibly.”

Alex drew him closer. “So all that shit about Scott earlier?”

Yassen shook his head. “I knew what I wanted. I just wanted to be sure you did.”

“I know what I want,” Alex whispered. “I want you. I wanted you from the first moment I saw you in the hotel.” He leaned in, brushing a kiss to Yassen’s mouth, breathing the next words. “I want you inside me.”

Yassen smiled against his lips. “Good. That makes two of us.” 

With that, he lifted Alex into his arms and carried him into the bedroom. 

–

Afterwards, fucked out and happy, Alex fell asleep quickly but woke again in the middle of the night with a throbbing ankle and an urgent need to visit the bathroom. 

He sat up cautiously, not wanting to wake Yassen, only to realise he was alone in the bedroom. 

“Yassen?” There was no answer, and he couldn’t hear him anywhere.

Alex swung his legs out of bed and finding the clothes they’d discarded earlier had been brought in and neatly folded, he pulled Yassen’s t-shirt back on. 

In the living room the fire had died down to a gentle glow. Alex swallowed some more painkillers and hobbled into the bathroom to take a piss. When he came out there was still no sign of Yassen, and Alex climbed back into bed feeling faintly worried. 

Still. Whatever he was up to, Yassen could presumably take care of himself. The fact it appeared to involve something on a pitch-black mountain in a heavy snowfall was probably all in a day’s work for an international assassin.

Despite his confidence Alex found it impossible to go back to sleep, and when he heard someone come in an hour later he turned the light back on and sat up.

“Alex?” Yassen appeared in the doorway in a skin-tight black ski-suit with what looked like night-vision goggles pushed to the top of his head. “Sorry. Did I wake you?”

“Where have you been?”

Yassen gave him a guilty smile. “Just out.” 

“Out where?” Alex watched him stripping off the ski suit with a lot more grace than Alex would have managed and wondered why he didn’t care more about what Yassen had been up to. He was just relieved he was alright.

Yassen climbed back into bed with him, and kissed him on the lips. His hair was spangled with melting snowflakes, and his skin was cold. Alex pressed closer and Yassen pulled his warm body against him with a hum of appreciation. 

“There is another lodge,” Yassen said finally, and Alex realised with some surprise that he was actually answering his question. “Over the ridge from here. A group has been meeting there, representatives of several governments. Agreeing a certain treaty that would be – shall we say politically sensitive, were it to be leaked ahead of time.”

“Blackmail,” Alex sighed.

“Exactly.”

“On behalf of who?”

“Didn’t ask.” Yassen stretched out on his back, looking up at Alex assessingly. “I’ve been watching them for weeks. They finally signed the treaty tonight.”

Alex stared at him. “You stole it?” Trying unsuccessfully not to sound impressed.

“I stole it.” 

“They’ll just sign another copy though?”

“Not the point. The point is the signatures can be used as proof of what they’ve been up to, before they are ready to announce it.” 

Alex lay down next to him, running his hand thoughtfully across Yassen’s bare chest. “Nobody died?”

“They never even knew I was there.” Yassen caught Alex’s look of suspicion at his phrasing and laughed. “Nobody died. I promise.”

“Hmmn.” Alex followed the path of his fingers with his lips, enjoying the quiet murmur of approval this provoked. 

“You’ve had a busy night,” Alex said, letting his fingers slide lower.

“I have.”

“You must be tired.” 

Alex’s fingers were trailing over Yassen’s belly, down the crease of his thigh. He pressed a kiss to Yassen’s jaw. He needed a shave, and Alex drew his own cheek across the stubble, catlike. Under the duvet his fingers had encountered Yassen’s cock, and he wasn’t in the least surprised to find he had an erection. 

“I’m wide awake in some areas,” Yassen smiled, turning his head to kiss Alex on the temple. “Which would seem to be your doing.”

“Well, I guess I’ll just have to do something about it,” Alex offered slowly, “Or you’ll never get to sleep.” He looked up. “You don’t have to go out again do you?”

“No.” Yassen shook his head. “I can’t do anything more until morning. I’m all yours.”

“All mine?”

“All of me.”

Alex smiled. 

–

The next morning the sun was bright on the surrounding snow, and Alex got up to find Yassen had already showered and made him breakfast. Yassen handed him a mug of coffee and kissed him.

“How are you feeling?” 

“Better. I don’t think I can ski on it yet though,” Alex said apologetically. 

“Never mind. I’ll go down, bring the car up for you.” Yassen kissed him on the forehead. “I’ll be as quick as I can. Don’t go anywhere, huh?”

Alex watched him ski away into the morning sunshine with a fond expression on his face. He ate, washed up, and showered, then settled down to wait.

It was something like an hour later when the door opened, and Alex looked up with a smile to find not Yassen but two strange men standing there. 

He leaped up automatically, only to crumple in pain as he unthinkingly put his full weight on his foot.

“Where is it?” one of the men demanded. When Alex looked up again, gritting his teeth against the pain, he found they were both pointing guns at him. 

He knew what they were after, of course. He also suspected the fact that its disappearance had been nothing to do with him and that he didn’t currently have it wasn’t going to help his case.

They were secret service, presumably. Alex had a brief moment of hope that they wouldn’t shoot an unarmed civilian purely on suspicion, then remembered that all the secret service operatives he’d met had considered themselves way above the law.

“Where’s what? Who are you? What’s going on?” he spluttered. 

“Quit fooling. Return what you stole last night and just maybe maybe we’ll let you live.”

“I haven’t stolen anything!” At least he didn’t have to fake the indignance. “Look, I haven’t been out of this place all night, I can hardly even walk!” Alex showed them his bandaged foot, and for the first time there was a flicker of uncertainly from them – until one of them looked over Alex’s shoulder.

“Who else is here?” he demanded.

“What? No one,” Alex said honestly. 

“There are two cups on the drainer,” the first man pointed out, gesturing with his gun. “Where’s your friend?”

Alex glared at him. “What, you never use more than one mug before doing the washing up?”

The gun was pointing right at his head now. 

“I’m going to give you ten seconds to tell us where it is, then I’m going to decorate this place with your brains and search it myself.”

Alex’s mouth was dry, and his mind was racing. He could tell them who had it and where he’d gone, but he knew he never would. As he was scrabbling for other options something flew in the open doorway, bounced once and skittered across the hardwood floor towards them.

Alex just had time to think that it looked remarkably like a grenade when the world whited out in a burst of excruciating light and sound. He dropped to the ground, blinded, hands pressed ineffectually to his ears, barely conscious of the fact he was being picked up and carried. 

The world was swaying sickeningly in and out, sound gradually filtering back in over the piercing whine in his ears.

Blurred vision slowly came back into focus, and Alex discovered the swaying was due to the fact he was strapped into the front seat of an SUV driving at full tilt down the icy mountain track.

He squinted through painfully watering eyes just long enough to confirm that the driver was indeed Yassen then slumped against the window and concentrated on not throwing up.

Eventually he recovered enough to sit up, and Yassen slowed down a little, judging they were far enough from pursuit to be safe. The men in the cabin would be in no fit state to drive yet.

He looked across at Alex. “You alright?”

“What. The hell. Was that.” Alex’s head was still ringing.

“Stun grenade.”

Well, yes, Alex had gathered that much. Yassen realised it had been more of a protest than a question and smiled slightly.

“I mean, I could just have shot them but you asked me not to kill anyone.”

Alex groaned. He had, it was true. He just wasn’t sure he’d expected Yassen to take any notice. As he blinked his vision clear Yassen pulled over and stopped.

“Seriously. Are you okay? They didn’t hurt you?” Yassen was looking him over with a professional eye, and Alex smiled weakly.

“No, I’m fine. Thanks for the rescue, I guess. Again.”

Yassen smirked, and Alex gave a protesting laugh. “I guess that makes you my official knight in shining armour?” 

“Hmmn. I’m not sure I’ve ever been one of those before,” Yassen mused. 

“Doing pretty well so far.” Alex pulled him across and kissed him. Yassen shifted in his seat and deepened the kiss. They were getting quite into it when movement outside the car made them both pull back at the same time, wary of attack, only to discover they were surrounded by a group of skiers on their way down the mountain. 

One in particular was staring into the car like he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. 

“Oh shit,” Alex muttered under his breath.

Yassen cleared his throat. “Isn’t that - ?”

“Yeah.”

“Ah.” 

Outside, Scott turned his back on them and skied off angrily down the slope. He was followed by the rest of the group. Alex noticed Claire and Katya were there too, and wondered if he’d imagined the thumbs up Claire had flashed at him as she went past. 

“Well. I guess that’s one conversation I no longer need to have.” Alex sagged back in his seat and sighed. 

“You still need to have it.”

“Yeah. I know.” Alex looked over at him. “So, um.”

“I have one of the staff cabins,” Yassen said, guessing his dilemma. “You can come and stay with me.”

Alex gave him a grateful smile. “You sure?”

Yassen reached over and squeezed his hand. “I wouldn’t offer it if I wasn’t.”

They reached the resort complex without further incident and Alex stumbled painfully up to his room where he hastily packed his things. He was wondering guiltily if he could slip out and find Yassen before Scott made it back when the door opened and he came in.

“So when were you going to tell me?” Scott asked heavily, throwing himself into a chair and giving Alex a look of resentful hurt.

“It’s not what you think.” 

“I just saw saw you snogging somebody Alex.” He gestured at Alex’s bag. “And you’re clearly leaving me.”

Alex couldn’t really argue with that. “Um. Yeah. Okay, maybe it is what you think. But it wasn’t! I mean – not yesterday. I had an accident, up on the black run. I couldn’t walk. Yassen saved me, and things – kind’ve escalated.”

“Yassen? Who the fuck’s Yassen, I thought his name was Stefan?”

Alex winced inwardly. “It’s, uh, a pet name.”

“A pet name? You have a pet name for him already?” Scott slumped slightly. “Oh God, I’m guessing he’s your ex, right? You said you recognised him. I should have realised.”

“It’s – a bit more complicated than that.”

“Did you sleep with him last night?”

Alex winced again, this time outwardly. “Yes,” he admitted sheepishly. “Sorry.”

Scott sighed. 

“Look, we both know this hasn’t been working for a while. It’s best this way. We can still be friends, right?” Alex said tentatively.

“Whatever.” 

“I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean for it to happen this way. You deserved better.” Alex picked up his bag and headed guiltily for the door. 

“Hey.”

Alex turned back. Scott gave him a resigned smile. “So does he have any like – hot gay ski instructor friends?”

Alex smiled back, relieved they were at least parting on better terms than he’d feared. “I’ll ask.” 

–

Outside he was making his way awkwardly down the path when someone lifted the bag off his shoulder and slid an arm around his waist.

“Need a hand with that?” Yassen murmured. 

Alex smiled, and then found he was smiling against Yassen’s lips because he’d leaned in and kissed him. He kissed him back, dazed and happy, and leaned in to him as they started walking again. He was conscious, too, of a certain number of envious looks that were directed his way as they made their way through the resort.

Yassen took him to one of the log cabins overlooking the slopes and settled Alex on a leather couch next to the wood burner.

“Here we are then. Make yourself at home.”

“You don’t have to – run, or anything?” Alex asked carefully. 

“Better if I don’t, it would look more suspicious. The item has already been despatched.” Yassen sat down next to him. “You should probably stay out of sight for a few days though. Until I’m sure they’ve gone.”

“That’s okay. I don’t think I’ll be skiing for a while,” Alex conceded, rotating his ankle cautiously. It hurt a lot less, but he still couldn’t put his whole weight on it. 

“Well, I’m here for the season, officially,” Yassen said. “I hadn’t been planning on sticking around but – I could? If you wanted to stay on? Together?”

“That would be amazing.” Alex had been wondering exactly how they might take this forward given Yassen’s rather complicated career. This would give them time to figure it out. And – Yassen wanted to. That was everything. 

“Was Scott alright?” Yassen enquired carefully.

“Yeah.” Alex sighed. “We are officially uncoupled. I think we both knew it was coming, but – yeah. Shitty way for him to find out, I guess.” 

Yassen took his hand. “Are _you_ alright?” he asked. 

“Yeah.” Alex slowly smiled. “Hold me?”

Yassen gathered him close and kissed him. Feeling like he was finally where he was meant to be, Alex melted gratefully into his arms, as outside it started softly snowing again. 

–


End file.
